Daughter of the Red Dawn (The Lost Kingdom of Fallada) (21 page)

Titus’s hands covered hers. “And I won’t lea
ve you, no matter where you go. I may not believe in the start of a war, Selena, but I believe in you and I’ll protect you from anything.”

With all her heart, she believed him. She stroked his smooth cheek with the pad of her thumb.

“What am I thinking now?” she asked with a mischievous smile.

Titus’ eyes widened.
“Really?”

She nodded and lowered her hands to his rock hard chest. “Rothatin has rotten timing and I got cheated out of a kiss earlier,” she said. “I don’t see any overbearing warrior
Fae
ries around, do you?”

Titus’s grin matched hers as he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her practically into his lap. “No, I don’t.”

His lips were insistent but gentle as he gave her more of what she’d been wanting since their time under the Pixie dust. He held her,
one ha
n
d at the back of her head, the other at her back, his finger
s
biting into her skin. Selena clung to him, her comfort in an otherwise troubling time, and drank from his mouth, hoping to forget everything else, even if only for a little while. When he pulled away, she was dizzy and knew that if he let her go, she’d fall into a heap on the tent floor. He stroked her hair affectionately and kissed her forehead.

“Enough,” he said with a chuckle. “Any more and I won’t be able to stop.”

Selena’s face went hot and she
shivered,
a contradiction of hot and cold that raced through her body with both craving and apprehension. She swallowed and cleared her throat.

“Not that it wouldn’t be
awesome
but—”

You’re not ready,
his voice said in her mind. His smile was genuine and full of underst
anding.
Not to worry, my princess, the time is not yet right for us. Such a physical bond would seal our connection as mates forever. I don’t think you’re
prepared
for that.

Selena felt guilt gnawing at her.
I wish I was,
she replied honestly.
I want to be.

He kissed her again, slowly and achingly sweet.
You will be.

I’m just glad you’re not one of those jerky guys that
tries
to put the pressure on. It’s definitely making me feel better about this whole ‘mate’ business.

I take the fact that you haven’t told me to go to hell yet as a good sign.

Selena laughed out loud.
“Never.”

“It’s getting late,” Titus replied. “Tomorrow will be a long day and I want you to get plenty of rest.”

Selena frowned. “They didn’t exactly give me a pillow,” she said. “I know we’re traveling light
,
but you’d think a
Fae
tent would have a Sealy
P
osturepedic in it or something.”

Titus moved away from her with a shake of his head. “I believe I can remedy that.”

Within seconds, the beautiful white wolf was seated before her, his blue eyes glistening invitingly. He lowered himself onto his stomach and crossed his front legs before him, laying his head on them before nodding toward his furry back in invitation. Selena crawled across the space between them. She leaned down to nuzzle Titus’ soft pelt and scratch his ears before curling up against his strong, soft body.

Oh God, not the ears!
h
is
voice resounded in her head.
If you do that again, I’ll be forced to shift back
to my human form and finish what I started earlier.

Selena pinched him playfully.
Sorry. Didn’t know the ears were so sensitive.

Haven’t you ever pet a dog before?
Same thing here.
In human terms it’s the same as your grabbing me by the—

“Good night
,
Titus!”

His chuckles resounded through her head.

~*~

Chapter
Eleven

Selena was grateful that the royal palace was only another day’s walk away.
The heat in Damu was oppressive;
much like Texas, only dryer. As she walked beside Titus, surrounded by her
Faerie
guards, Selena reached for the hood of the red cloak Adrah had given her before she departed from Goldun. The gift had seemed ridiculous at first. Who wears a heavy cloak in the desert? But now Selena was grateful for the long material, which she wrapped around her shoulders and used as a veil over her nose and mouth. She’d swallowed enough sand to last her a lifetime. With only her eyes peeking out from behind the red material, Selena was baking inside of the cloak
,
but decided it was better than eating a gritty sand sandwich.

The
clay walls surrounding city were fortified by gates that gleamed gold in the morning sun. Beyond walls that seemed to stretch on forever, the city of Damu almost blended in with its surroundings with its red clay buildings, the only exception the jewel tones of the gleaming, domed roofs. As they drew closer throughout the day, the exotic smell of spices met her nostrils. A
t the thought of
their impending arrival
, Selena felt butterflies swirling and dipping in her stomach. Even when they stopped for lunch, she couldn’t eat, couldn’t think beyond what would happen when she entered the gates and finally stood on the steps of the home
where
she’d been born.

Titus was silent as well, seeming to respect her need to be left alone today. Selena could have kissed him for it, if she hadn’t been so
focused on the meeting that would occur by the end of the day. So deep were her thoughts
that she barely registered the sound of
hooves pounding against the sa
nd until the Centaurs were almost upon
them.

The
Fae
warriors drew their weapons and moved into a protective circle around Selena and Titus, who grabbed her arm tightly and shoved her behind his back. She caught just a glimpse of the creatures from human myth before the wall of broad-shouldered
Fae
blocked them out and her jaw uncontrollably
dropped
. The Centaurs were possibly the most complex and beautiful creatures she’d ever seen.

The gleaming, bare torsos of the men rippled with muscles that bulged and
swelled
against skin in shades of white, olive, tan, and deep, dark brown. The women wore iron breastplates studded with rubies over shoulders
and
chests that were equally as muscular and impressive as their male counterparts. Hair in shades between blond and midnight black fell down to each one’s waist, and many had adorned their tresses with feathers and charms fastened to silver chains. Piercing
’
s dotted their ears, noses
,
and eyebrows
;
sienna brown markings lined their arms, chests
,
and some of their faces. The tattoos were in an intricate pattern that Selena instantly recognized as some system of lettering. Something within her
latched on to the symbols, recognizing them as familiar. Just before Titus blocked the undoubted leader of the Centaurs
from view, she could have sworn
she recognized the letters running down the side of his arm. The
y
spelled the word ‘Warrior’.

From the waist down, of course, the Centaurs possessed the hindquarters of horses. The fo
ur powerful legs of each one were
steady and steadfast, their coats gleaming just as beautifully as the skin across
their chests and arms. Long, flowing
tails
swished
behind them and massive hooves pawed the ground.
Their ears flicked and moved toward sounds and voices
,
and
they
were very horse-like as well.

Selena peeked from behind Titus to watch Rothatin separating from the group. He moved forward to meet the leader of the Centaur
s, a male with skin like dark ebony wood. His dark hair was streaked with f
eathers and his chest was lin
ed with the reddish-brown markings.

“I am Tinutai, general of Damu’s army and servant of King Eldalwen. You will identify
yourselves
and state your business if you wish entrance into the city.”

Rothatin removed his silver helmet and stepped forward, his chest
swollen with pride and indignation.

“You dare to qu
estion a servant of Queen Adrah?
She is second only
to
King Endroth himself.
Certainly neither she
, nor I, need answer to you.”

Selena stifled a gasp as the menacing Centaur took a step toward Rothatin. His nostrils flared as he leaned toward the unmoving
Fae
.

“Your arrogance is likely to get you and your party slaughtered right here and now,
Faerie
. If you are who you say you are, then you will state your business and offer proof of your intentions. You will not be given entrance to the city otherwise.”

Rothatin leveled his double-edge spear at Tinutai. “You will step aside, pony, and allow my men and I to pass.”

Tinutai’s fists curled at his side and his front legs left the ground as he advanced on Rothatin with a deep, guttural roar.

“Stop!”
Selena cried without thinking, shoving Titus aside and running to Rothatin’s side. Tinutai landed with a thud, sending sand flying up into Selena’s face. She shielded her eyes
,
but didn’t back down from the intimidating creature. Once the sand and dust had cleared, Selena fixed Rothatin with an angry stare.

“If you just tell them why we’re here, you might not get trampled to death by the Arnold Schwarzenegger of all horses.”

Rothatin rolled his eyes. “I am more than
able to
hold my own against a Centaur, Princess.”

“That is not the point! A fight is unnecessary.”

“Princess?”
Tinutai eyed her incredulously, his eyes locking on hers through the material shielding her face. “What trickery is this?”

“This is no trick,” Titus said, coming to Selena’s side. She did not miss the protective stance or determined set of his jaw. “
We are the escort of Princess Eladria, daughter of King Eldalwen and Queen Axonia
,
and you will allow us entrance into Damu.”

A second Centaur, a red-brown skinned female, stepped forward beside Tinutai. “Impossible. Princess Eladria is lost to the world of men. They are lying.”

“Would you look Queen Adrah in the eye and call her a liar?” Rothatin argued. “How about her beloved scribes, the Brothers Grimm? Are they liars as well?”

“How do we know that she has sent you?
” the female Centaur asked.
“
The fact that you are
of the
Fae
does little to convince me. Eranna’s power is great enough that even you are susceptible to it.”

“
I can prove it,” Selena said, stepping forward and unwinding the cloak from around her face. “I am who they say I am.”

She felt surprisingly lighter after making that statement. It was the first time she’d ever owned her identity as Eladria.

“We’re waiting,” the female Centaur replied
,
her arms crossed over her gleaming breastplate. She eyed Selena with undisguised disbelief.

Selena reached down into the shirt of the getup she’d borrowed from Adrah, and retrieved the large ruby from its place against her chest. Gasps rang out among the Centaurs, and the female’s eyes widened. Tinutai stepped forward, inspecting the ruby as Selena dangled it from i
t
s chain. She held her free hand out to him, offering it with raised eyebrows.

“Go on,” she challenged. “I have nothing to hide.”

With a grunt and a nod, Tinutai stepped forward and removed
a
dagger from the leather cross-braces creating a
n
X across his chest. Titus stiffened beside
her but Selena stepped forward
, allowing Tinutai to draw her blood with the blade. She squeezed a drop onto the stone, smirking at Tinutai and his girlfriend smugly as it started to glow.

“By God, it’s true!” Tinutai exclaimed. “That means that you
…
”

Tinutai folded his front legs in front of him, bowing as low as he could get on four legs. He placed on fist over his chest and lowered his head.

“Forgive me, Your Majesty, we had to be sure that it was you.”

The other Centaurs promptly followed his lead, bowing in the same graceful way as their leader.
All except for the skeptical female.